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Vash commented that some of the cultures she had encountered in the Gamma Quadrant had histories spanning millions of years. (DS9: "Q-Less") It is believed the Hur'q originated from the quadrant. (DS9: "The Sword of Kahless")

A Tosk came through the Bajoran Wormhole from the Gamma Quadrant and docked at Deep Space 9 on a hunt and was pursed by Hunters. The Hunters said that the Tosk was bred to be hunted by them and had spent his entire life preparing; later the Hunters were allowed to resume the hunt and take the Tosk back with them to the Gamma Quadrant after ChiefO'Brien helped the Tosk to escape and return through the Bajoran Wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant. (DS9: "Captive Pursuit")

Deep Space Nine had the distinction of making first contact with a Gamma Quadrant species known as the Wadi. However, the Wadi showed no interest in formalities and headed straight to Quark's. The Ferengi initially saw the Wadi as a potential source of great profit, but when the Wadi Master SurchidFalow started to win at Dabo and went on a winning streak, Quark had one of his waiters rig the game. The Wadi caught him and forced Quark to play "an honest game" called Chula, using living people as players, but this was revealed later to be only a game and not really dangerous. (DS9: "Move Along Home")

KaiOpaka was taken through the Bajoran Wormhole by Benjamin Sisko, where they received a distress signal. They then found a planet with a network of satellites, one of which was malfunctioning. Their runabout approached the planet and one of the satellites attacked it, forcing them to crash land. Opaka died in the landing, which devastated Kira; however, her mourning was interrupted by a group of people called the Ennis are who were at war with a group called the Nol-Ennis, both groups were being regenerated by some form of extraterrestrial nanotechnology. The same technology revives the Ennis and Nol-Ennis, but rather than a blessing it is a curse: Both groups were sent to the planet as punishment for centuries of conflict, doomed to die over and over, Kai Opaka accepts that she cannot leave the planet in the Gamma Quadrant and feels called to help the two warring factions learn how to live in peace. (DS9: "Battle Lines")

The Vulcans were at the forefront of the exploration of the Quadrant, beginning only months after the wormhole was discovered by Benjamin Sisko and Jadzia Dax in 2369. The Vulcans made many discoveries, including the remains of the Hur'q race. (DS9: "The Sword of Kahless")

The planet Meridian was also located in the Gamma Quadrant, and spends most of its time in another phase of existence, where its people exist only as consciousness, with no physical being. The planet is in this dimension for a very short time. In twelve days it will disappear for sixty years. Each time it returns, the planet will have less time in this universe, and eventually will stop appearing. (DS9: "Meridian")

The starship Defiant was caught in a type of "quantum bubble" surrounding an inhabited planet. After investigation, it is discovered that the inhabitants are the descendants of the Defiant's crew. Generations of descendants have been living on the planet for many years and their own history began when the Defiant tried to escape from the bubble. Instead of passing through its energy barrier, the ship was thrown back in time two centuries and crashed with no hope of contacting the Federation or repairing the ship. Faced with that reality, the small stranded crew of the Defiant (including Dax, Sisko, O'Brien, etc.) decided to remain and establish a society. (DS9: "Children of Time")

The Dominion was established approximately 10,000 years prior to 2375. This galactic power was located between 40,000 and 50,000 light years from the galactic core in an arm of the galaxy. Other powers have been encountered, but their status with the Dominion was unclear. (DS9: "The Dogs of War", "Whispers", "Hard Time"; Star Trek: Voyager, Season 7 production art)

In response to inquiries as to why the Federation continued to visit the Gamma Quadrant, Ronald D. Moore stated:

"The Dominion does not own the entire Gamma Quadrant. We had explored the GQ for two years before encountering the Dominion, so it's not as though the wormhole opens up in their living room. There are other races in the GQ that are not part of the Dominion and the Ferengi at least have established trade with some of them. When the Dominion told us to stay out of the GQ, it was as if China told the US to stay out of the Yellow Sea. China is the big boy in this neck of the woods, and you better take their warning seriously, but at the same time we have trading partners and allies there and hey, freedom of the seas and all that." (AOL chat,1997)